Electronic wrench and wireless connection and charging module thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic wrench and a wireless connection and charging module thereof. The wireless connection and charging module can be detachably coupled to the electronic wrench and electrically connected to a sensing control device of the electronic wrench. The wireless connection and charging module adopts a modular design and has the functions of charging and wireless signal transmission. When the mechanical structure of the electronic wrench is damaged and cannot be used, the wireless connection and charging module can be removed from the original electronic wrench and reinstalled on another electronic wrench for continued use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic wrench, and more particularly to an electronic wrench and a wireless connection and charging module thereof. Background Art

[0002] Taiwan Province of China Utility Patent No. M567166 discloses a torque wrench designed for smartphones. The wrench is primarily equipped with a sensor device and a power supply. The sensor device includes at least a wireless signal transceiver module, which can transmit the wrench's torque value signal to the smartphone for processing. The power supply includes a battery box for supplying power to the sensor device.

[0003] However, the development and design of the aforementioned torque wrench's sensor device is limited by the wireless signal transceiver module, preventing the effective adoption of a modular design, which is not conducive to cost reduction. When the torque wrench's mechanical structure is damaged, even if the original wireless signal transceiver module is intact, due to its non-modular design, it must be discarded along with the entire wrench, which may be wasteful. In addition, the battery box is not rechargeable, which is not environmentally friendly and convenient to use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention discloses an electronic wrench and its wireless connection and charging module. The wireless connection and charging module adopts a modular design and can be detachably coupled to the electronic wrench and electrically connected to the electronic wrench's sensing and control device. Furthermore, if the electronic wrench's mechanical structure is damaged and cannot be used, the wireless connection and charging module can be removed from the original electronic wrench and reinstalled on another electronic wrench for continued use.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, an embodiment of the present invention provides a wireless connection and charging module that can be detachably combined with an electronic wrench. The wireless connection and charging module includes a carrier board, a wireless connection unit, a charging cell, and a rechargeable battery. The housing has a first end and a second end. The first end can be inserted and assembled within one end of the electronic wrench. The second end is axially provided with a slot and a module electrical connection portion at the first end for electrically connecting to the electronic wrench. The carrier board is disposed in the slot and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion; the wireless connection unit is disposed on the carrier board; the charging unit is disposed on the carrier board; and the rechargeable battery is disposed within the housing and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion and the carrier board.

[0006] In another embodiment of the present invention, the shell includes a first elongated half shell and a second elongated half shell covering each other. The first elongated half shell is radially provided with a partition to divide the interior of the shell into a first area and a second area. The rechargeable battery is arranged in the first area, and the carrier is arranged in the second area.

[0007] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first elongated half shell is provided with two first recesses away from the module electrical connection portion. The two first recesses are provided on the inner side of the first elongated half shell and are respectively arranged along the length direction. The second elongated half shell is provided with two second recesses corresponding to the two first recesses, and the two first recesses and the two second recesses together form a slot.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first elongated half shell and the second elongated half shell are respectively provided with a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion adjacent to the module electrical connection portion. The first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are combined with each other and fixed by a locking member passing through both.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, a tail cover is further included. A receiving groove is provided at one end of the tail cover for being sleeved on the second end of the shell. Two axially symmetrical protrusions are provided on the inner edge of the receiving groove. The first elongated half shell is provided with two first drop portions away from the module electrical connection portion. The two first drop portions are provided on the outside of the first elongated half shell and are respectively arranged along the length direction. The second elongated half shell is provided with two second drop portions corresponding to the two first drop portions. Each first drop portion and each second drop portion jointly form a positioning groove for cooperating with a protrusion in the receiving groove so that the tail cover will not rotate relative to the shell.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, a charging hole is provided at the other end of the tail cover, connected to the receiving groove and corresponding to the charging unit, and the tail cover is provided with a dustproof part that selectively covers the charging hole.

[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of locking members are further included, which are respectively penetrated through the tail cover and the second elongated half shell.

[0012] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, another embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic wrench, which includes a tube body, a sensing control device, and a wireless connection and charging module. The tube body has a driving portion at one end and an inner cavity at the other end. The inner cavity is provided with a wrench electrical connection portion. The sensing control device is provided in the tube body and is electrically connected to the wrench electrical connection portion. The wireless connection and charging module can be detachably combined with the inner cavity. The wireless connection and charging module includes a shell, a carrier, a wireless connection unit, a charging unit, and a rechargeable battery. The shell body has a first end and a second end. The first end is provided with a module electrical connection portion. The shell body can be inserted into the inner cavity so that the module electrical connection portion and the wrench electrical connection portion are electrically connected. The second end is provided with a slot along the axial direction. The carrier board is provided in the slot and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion. The wireless connection unit and the charging unit are both provided on the carrier board. The rechargeable battery is provided in the shell body and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion and the carrier board.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, the shell includes a first elongated half shell and a second elongated half shell covering each other, and a slot is formed between the first elongated half shell and the second elongated half shell. It also includes a tail cover that is sleeved on the second end of the shell and does not rotate relative to it.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, a grip sleeve is further included, which is sleeved on the tube body and away from the driving part. The second end of the shell can rotate relative to the grip sleeve between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the shell can be detached from the tube body. In the second position, the shell is restricted by the grip sleeve and cannot be detached from the tube body. The outer periphery of the second end of the shell exposed from the tube body is provided with two stop parts, and the inner edge ring of the grip sleeve is provided with two stop edges and two through grooves. In the first position, the two stop parts can be freely displaced in the two through grooves. In the second position, the two stop edges stop the two stop parts in the axial direction of the tube body.

[0015] In this way, the wireless connection and charging module of the present invention can be detachably coupled to the electronic wrench. When the wireless connection and charging module is coupled to the electronic wrench, it provides power supply and wireless signal transmission functions. When the mechanical structure of the electronic wrench is damaged and cannot be used, the wireless connection and charging module can be removed from the original electronic wrench and reinstalled on another electronic wrench for continued use. This allows the wireless connection and charging module to extend its service life and does not need to be discarded along with the entire electronic wrench, thereby reducing the cost of purchasing a new wrench.

[0016] Furthermore, the wireless connection and charging module of the present invention adopts a modular design and is manufactured separately from the sensing and control device of the electronic wrench, which can reduce the limitations of their respective development and design, allowing the electronic wrench to have greater design space in terms of function and appearance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic three-dimensional appearance diagram of the electronic wrench of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structural decomposition of the electronic wrench of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electronic wrench of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structural decomposition of the wireless connection and charging module of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure decomposition of the wireless connection and charging module of the present invention from another perspective.

[0022] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section taken along section line 5-5.

[0023] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section taken along section line 6-6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and is not intended to limit the technical principles of the present invention to the specific disclosed embodiments. Instead, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the scope of the claims and covers alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

[0025] See also Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the present invention comprises an electronic wrench 100 comprising a tube body 1, a sensing and control device 2, a wireless connection and charging module 3, and a grip 4. The wireless connection and charging module 3 is modularly designed and detachably coupled to the tube body 1. This allows the wireless connection and charging module 3 to be removed and reattached to another electronic wrench for continued use if a mechanical component of the electronic wrench 100 is damaged.

[0026] The tube body 1 has a driving portion 10 at one end and an inner cavity 11 at the other end. The inner cavity 11 is provided with a wrench electrical connection portion 12. The driving portion 10 is a ratchet type, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0027] The sensing control device 2 is mounted within the tube body 1 and electrically connected to the wrench electrical connection portion 12. The sensing control device 2 includes a processing unit 20, a sensing unit 21, a display unit 22, and an operation unit 23, all electrically connected to one another. The sensing unit 21 is capable of sensing the torque value of the electronic wrench 100, for example, using a strain gauge. The processing unit 20 receives signals from the sensing unit 21 and generates a torque value, which is then displayed on the display unit 22. The operation unit 23 is located adjacent to the display unit 22 and is used to configure various functions of the sensing control device 2.

[0028] The wireless connection and charging module 3 comprises a housing 30, a carrier board 31, a wireless connection unit 32, a charging unit 33, a rechargeable battery 34, and a tail cap 35. The wireless connection and charging module 3 employs a modular design and is manufactured separately from the sensing and control device 2. This eliminates the need for complex and extensive molds during the design and development of the electronic module of the electronic wrench 100, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0029] The housing 30 has a first end 301 and a second end 302. The first end 301 is provided with a modular electrical connection portion 303. The first end 301 of the housing 30 can be inserted into the inner cavity 11, electrically connecting the modular electrical connection portion 303 to the wrench electrical connection portion 12 of the electronic wrench 100. The second end 302 is provided with a slot 304 along the axial direction. The modular electrical connection portion 303 and the wrench electrical connection portion 12 utilize a pin-and-socket configuration, or other matching structure that enables signal and power transmission. In this embodiment of the present invention, the housing 30 includes a first elongated half shell 30a and a second elongated half shell 30b that cover each other. The first and second elongated half shells 30a, 30b together form a slot 304, and the modular electrical connection portion 303 is provided in the first elongated half shell 30a.

[0030] The first elongated half-shell 30a has a partition 30a1 radially disposed between its two ends, dividing the interior of the housing 30 into a first area 305 and a second area 306. The rechargeable battery 34 is disposed in the first area 305. The first area 305 may also include conductive pads connecting the positive and negative terminals of the rechargeable battery 34, thereby electrically connecting the rechargeable battery 34 to the module electrical connection portion 303. The carrier 31 is disposed in the slot 304 and located in the second area 306. Furthermore, the first elongated half-shell 30a has two first recesses 30a2 disposed on the inner side of the first elongated half-shell 30a and along its length, respectively. A first fixing portion 30a3 is also disposed adjacent to the module electrical connection portion 303. The first elongated half shell 30a is provided with two first drop portions 30a4 away from the module electrical connection portion 303. The two first drop portions 30a4 are provided on the outside of the first elongated half shell 30a and are respectively arranged along the length direction. The length of the two first drop portions 30a4 is shorter than the length of the two first recesses 30a2.

[0031] The second elongated half shell 30b is provided with two second recesses 30b1, corresponding to the first recess 30a2, located away from the module electrical connection portion 303. The two second recesses 30b1 are located on the inner side of the second elongated half shell 30b and are arranged along its length. When the first elongated half shell 30a and the second elongated half shell 30b are overlapped, the two first recesses 30a2 and the two second recesses 30b1 together form the slot 304 for inserting and installing the carrier board 31. Furthermore, the second elongated half shell 30b is provided with a second fixing portion 30b2 adjacent to the module electrical connection portion 303. The first fixing portion 30a3 and the second fixing portion 30b2 are joined and secured together by a locking member 36 extending through both. The second elongated half shell 30b has two second drop portions 30b3, located away from the module electrical connection portion 303, corresponding to the two first drop portions 30a4. The two second drop portions 30b3 are located on the outside of the second elongated half shell 30b and extend along its length. Their length is shorter than the length of the two second recesses 30b1. Each first drop portion 30a4 and each second drop portion 30b3 together form a positioning groove 307.

[0032] The carrier board 31 is disposed in the slot 304 and electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion 303 .

[0033] The wireless connection unit 32 and the charging unit 33 are both mounted on the carrier board 31. The wireless connection unit 32 is used to connect to a terminal device, such as a smartphone, via Bluetooth. During communication, the smartphone can display the torque value of the electronic wrench 100 and the preset torque value, and can also store, compare, analyze, and display these values.

[0034] The rechargeable battery 34 is disposed in the housing 30 and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion 303 and the carrier 31 to supply the power required by the electronic components. In the embodiment of the present invention, the charging unit 33 is a USB port.

[0035] The tail cap 35 has a receiving groove 351 at one end for being fitted over the second end 302 of the housing 30 where the tube body 1 is exposed. Two axially symmetrical protrusions 352 are provided on the inner edge of the receiving groove 351. The two protrusions 352 cooperate with the two positioning grooves 307 to prevent the tail cap 35 from rotating relative to the housing 30. In this embodiment of the present invention, a charging hole 353 is provided at the other end of the tail cap 35, which is connected to the receiving groove 351 and corresponds to the charging unit 33. The tail cap 35 is also provided with a dustproof member 354 that selectively covers the charging hole 353. The dustproof member 354 is pivotally mounted on the tail cap 35. When the dustproof member 354 does not cover the charging hole 353, exposing it, the rechargeable battery 34 can be charged with an external power source using a USB cable.

[0036] In other embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of locking members 37 are further included, which are respectively penetrated through the tail cover 35 and the second elongated half shell 30 b to connect the tail cover 35 and the housing 30 as a whole.

[0037] The grip cover 4 is a two-shot injection molded component that fits over the tubular body 1, away from the drive unit 10. The second end 302 of the housing 30 is rotatable relative to the grip cover 48 between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the housing 30 can be axially removed from the tubular body 1 to facilitate replacement of the wireless connection and charging module 3. In the second position, the housing 30 is restrained by the grip cover 4 and cannot be axially removed from the tubular body 1, maintaining the assembled state. In this embodiment of the present invention, two retaining portions 308 are provided on the outer periphery of the second end 302 of the housing 30. The inner periphery of the grip cover 4 is circumferentially formed with two retaining flanges 40 and two through-slots 41. The retaining flanges 40 are positioned between the through-slots 41. In the first position, the retaining portions 308 are freely displaceable within the through-slots 41. In the second position, the retaining flanges 40 abut the retaining portions 308 axially relative to the tubular body 1. Each stop portion 308 is formed by a stop block on the outer periphery of the first elongated half shell 30a and the second elongated half shell 30b. The present invention can utilize the grip cover 4 as a non-slip grip and also have the dual function of limiting the wireless connection and charging module 3 in the tube body 1.

[0038] Thus, the wireless connection and charging module 3 of the present invention adopts a modular design and can be detachably combined with the electronic wrench 100 and electrically connected thereto to provide power and wireless signal transmission functions. This does not require complex and large-scale molds in design and development, and has the advantage of low manufacturing costs.

[0039] In addition, when the mechanical structure of the electronic wrench 100 is damaged and cannot be used, the wireless connection and charging module 3 can be removed from the original electronic wrench 100 and reinstalled on another electronic wrench for continued use, so that the wireless connection and charging module 3 can extend its service life and does not need to be discarded along with the entire electronic wrench 100, thereby reducing purchase costs.

[0040] While the present invention has been described above based on a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The aforementioned embodiment is intended only to illustrate the present invention and is not intended to limit its scope. Any modifications or variations that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.

[0041] Explanation of symbols:

[0042] 100: Electronic wrench. 1: Tube body.

[0043] 10: Driving unit. 11: Inner cavity.

[0044] 12: Wrench electrical connection. 2: Sensing control device.

[0045] 20: Processing unit. 21: Sensing unit.

[0046] 22: Display unit. 23: Operation unit.

[0047] 3: Wireless connection and charging module. 30: Housing.

[0048] 301: First end. 302: Second end.

[0049] 303: Module electrical connection portion. 304: Slot.

[0050] 305: First District. 306: Second District.

[0051] 307: Positioning groove. 308: Stopper.

[0052] 30a: First elongated half shell. 30a1: Partition plate.

[0053] 30a2: First recess. 30a3: First fixing portion. 30a4: First drop portion. 30b: Second elongated half shell. 30b1: Second recess. 30b2: Second fixing portion.

[0054] 30b3: Second drop portion. 31: Carrying plate.

[0055] 32: Wireless connection unit. 33: Charging unit.

[0056] 34: Rechargeable battery. 35: Tail cover.

[0057] 351: Accommodating groove. 352: Protrusion.

[0058] 353: Charging port. 354: Dustproof part.

[0059] 36: Locking piece. 37: Locking piece.

[0060] 4: Grip. 40: Stop edge.

[0061] 41: Two slots.

Claims

1. A wireless connection and charging module, which can be detachably combined with an electronic wrench, characterized in that: The wireless connection and charging module includes: A housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is capable of being inserted and assembled into one end of the electronic wrench, the second end is provided with a slot along the axial direction, and the first end has a module electrical connection portion for electrically connecting to the electronic wrench; a carrier board disposed in the slot and electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion; a wireless connection unit, disposed on the carrier board; a charging unit disposed on the carrier; and A rechargeable battery is disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion and the carrier board.

2. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 1, wherein: The shell includes a first elongated half shell and a second elongated half shell covering each other. The first elongated half shell is radially provided with a partition to divide the shell into a first area and a second area. The rechargeable battery is arranged in the first area, and the carrier is arranged in the second area.

3. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 2, wherein: The first elongated half shell is provided with two first recesses away from the module electrical connection part. The two first recesses are provided on the inner side of the first elongated half shell and are respectively arranged along the length direction. The second elongated half shell is provided with two second recesses corresponding to the two first recesses, and the two first recesses and the two second recesses together form the slot.

4. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 3, wherein: The first long half shell and the second long half shell are respectively provided with a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion adjacent to the module electrical connection portion. The first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are combined with each other and fixed by a locking piece passing through the two.

5. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 3, wherein: It also includes a tail cover, which has a receiving groove at one end for being sleeved on the second end of the shell, and the inner edge of the receiving groove is provided with two axially symmetrical protrusions, and the first elongated half shell is provided with two first drop portions away from the module electrical connection portion, and the two first drop portions are arranged on the outside of the first elongated half shell and are respectively arranged along the length direction, and the second elongated half shell is provided with two second drop portions corresponding to the two first drop portions, and each first drop portion and each second drop portion jointly form a positioning groove for cooperating with a protrusion in the receiving groove so that the tail cover will not rotate relative to the shell.

6. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 5, wherein: The other end of the tail cover is provided with a charging hole connected to the accommodating groove and corresponding to the charging unit, and the tail cover is provided with a dustproof part that selectively covers the charging hole.

7. The wireless connection and charging module according to claim 5, wherein: It also includes a plurality of locking components, which are respectively penetrated through the tail cover and the second elongated half shell.

8. An electronic wrench, characterized in that: include: A tube body, one end of which has a driving portion, and the other end of which has an inner cavity provided with a wrench electrical connection portion; a sensing control device, disposed on the tube body, the sensing control device being electrically connected to the electrical connection portion of the wrench; A wireless connection and charging module is detachably coupled to the inner cavity. The wireless connection and charging module includes a housing, a carrier board, a wireless connection unit, a charging unit, and a rechargeable battery. The housing has a first end and a second end. The first end is provided with a module electrical connection portion. The housing can be inserted into the inner cavity so that the module electrical connection portion is electrically connected to the wrench electrical connection portion. The second end is provided with a slot along the axial direction. The carrier board is disposed in the slot and electrically connected to the module electrical connection portion; The wireless connection unit and the charging unit are both disposed on the carrier board; The rechargeable battery is arranged in the shell and is electrically connected to the module electrical connection part and the carrier board.

9. The electronic wrench according to claim 8, characterized in that: The shell includes a first elongated half shell and a second elongated half shell covering each other. The first elongated half shell and the second elongated half shell together form the slot. The shell also includes a tail cover that is sleeved on the second end of the shell and cannot rotate relative to it.

10. The electronic wrench according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes a grip sleeve, which is sleeved on the tube body and away from the driving part. The second end of the shell can rotate relative to the grip sleeve between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the shell can be detached from the tube body. In the second position, the shell is restricted by the grip sleeve and cannot be detached from the tube body. The outer periphery of the second end of the shell exposed from the tube body is provided with two stop parts, and the inner edge of the grip sleeve is ringed with two stop edges and two through grooves. In the first position, the two stop parts can be freely displaced in the two through grooves. In the second position, the two stop edges stop the two stop parts in the axial direction of the tube body.

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